6TH SUNDAY OF ORDINARY TIME, YEAR A

Sirach 15:15-20

Psalm 119

1Cor. 2:6-10

Matthew 5:17-37

FULFILLING THE LAW

Today's Gospel is an excerpt from the Sermon on the Mount, often characterized by the radical choices that Jesus invites his disciples to make. In today's passage, Jesus presents himself as the New Moses who came not to abolish the Law and the Prophets, but to fulfil and perfect it. In fact, the Law should not be considered as a simple set of precepts prohibiting certain behaviours, but as a means to realize our humanity and a way to enter into a life of communion with God.

In this dynamic, it is not enough not to commit murder, but we need to avoid anger and hatred, and to choose forgiveness and reconciliation. It’s not enough not to commit adultery, but to educate our gaze to purity of heart and mind and avoid the least occasion of sin. It is not enough not to take false oaths but to cultivate integrity, sincerity and faithfulness; we must be men and women of our words.

It is therefore obvious that Jesus invites us to go beyond “the wisdom of this age”, to use the words of Saint Paul in the second reading, and to embrace the “wisdom of God” which is revealed to us in the Gospel. It is a radical choice and often difficult to make but that leads to freedom. Jesus invites us to look at our interior disposition, into our hearts in whatever we do or say. For we often regret the consequences of some of our choices; and unfortunately, we blame God or others for the misfortunes result from our actions. Thus, Ben Sirach reminds us that each of us is free and responsible for his choices and actions.

Reflecting on man’s free will and responsibility, Ben Sirach says that (i) man is free to choose good or evil, and (ii) to choose good is to make the best choice which leads to happiness and life. There are therefore two ways which are constantly open before us: the path of good which leads to happiness, to a life of eternal bliss with God, and the path of evil which leads to unhappiness, sadness and death. In a confident prayer, let us ask the Lord to grant us the grace to always choose the path of good so that one day we may enter into eternal life. Amen